The hero's journey to painting your home

If you get bored with your surroundings consistently looking at the same four walls, waiting, and wanting them to change, that's completely okay! It happens to the best of you!

Let's be positive because it’s time to switch things up a bit. Yay!

But by being on a tight budget can you achieve much and have good results? Do you need a professional to paint your house?

It’s important to keep in mind that the financial cost is not your only investment. A painting project and accessories cost both time and money.

You’ll be spending time selecting colors, prepping the space. Once the project is completed, you will spend additional time on cleanup.

But to make it easier and fun for you, stay with us to reveal the best tips and ideas.

What Goes Into a Painting Project?

As you prepare to paint, you must gather an entire range of supplies you will need to complete the project. Here's the list you need to add to your shopping list:

  • Primer: Many surfaces require a primer before quality paint can be applied. The primer prepares the surface by creating a smooth, even wall, it covers blemishes and prevents the paint from getting absorbed into the surface. You can choose the primer depending on what you need to cover or what type of surface you are painting.
  • Paintbrushes: Brushes are available in all sizes, shapes, and qualities. You’ll need at least one quality brush for edging and it's necessary to blend the corners and edges of the space.
  • Rollers: For larger areas, rollers are the best tool to use. 
  • Tape: Painters tape is useful for blocking off any surfaces you don’t want to paint such as wall edges, trim, window, and door frames and it's designed to be removed easily without leaving residue behind.
  • Dropcloths: A must for covering floors, furniture, counters, or other surfaces below the area being painted. They also provide a safe surface to put paint cans, wet brushes, or other dirty items you will use during your painting project. It'll be your lifesaver because even the neatest painters need dropcloths. 
  • Trays: Paint trays hold the paint in a way that allows you to easily apply it to your rollers or brushes.

Try samples first  

You might like the idea of a yellow and gray living room to shake things up and create a new look, but how will the color look in the space? 

Gather some paint samples, tape them up in the room you want to paint, and weigh all your options before investing in the actual materials. You’ll save yourself time and money if you decide you don’t want to go yellow and gray, after all.

Get High-Quality Roller Covers and Brushes and Painter's Tape

Most DIY painters make the mistake of purchasing inexpensive chip brushes and roller covers.

But how worthy is it to pay extra for better tools? 

Most of the low-quality roller covers leave fuzz and lint on the walls.

Once they are embedded in the paint and it dries, you are left with bumpy walls that are difficult to repair and high-end painter's tape is the real deal when it comes to sealing out drips and blurs.

By purchasing the best tools you will have the result you want, your surface will have a better finish.

Get High-Quality Paint

It’s important to keep in mind the old saying "You get what you pay for".

The right paint it's the most important component to a successful painting project. It’s important to set your budget based on the cost of the paint. As you establish your project costs, consider what you can expect to spend on quality paint and make adjustments from there. 

Do the Math

Before you start painting, figure out the total area you need to cover, accounting for multiple coats, primer, and porosity of the walls. Depending on the paint you choose to use, it could be more or less but you won’t be as likely to run out of paint before the job is finished.

Wait for Dry Weather

Most experts will recommend a specific temperature and humidity range in which it’s ideal for painting.

What happens when you paint in high or low humidity?

High humidity means drips and slow drying, so avoid painting on a rainy day. The low humidity level can make the paint dry faster, making it harder to apply even coats.

The good range of temperature should be between 5C and 32C, with 40 to 70 percent humidity. 

Protect Anything You Don't Want to be Painted

You need to cover and protect your valuable property from sanding dust and paint splatters before starting your painting project. It's a must and you will never regret the time you spend covering floors, furniture, and electronics before you begin.

For the edges of all surfaces that will not be painted, such as the junction between walls and ceilings the best solution is Painter's tape. When it comes to ceilings, painting them has its own challenges, especially when choosing the color you may be in doubt about what could be the best fit for the entire room. In this case, it's recommended to consult with pro painters such as Improovy. According to them, pairing whites walls and ceilings with an accent color is one of the best decorating ideas.

Using Prime Before you Paint Walls?

When it comes to painting, primer is key. It covers up uneven coloring or stains on the walls and lets the top coat of paint to better adhere–increasing the general lifespan of your forthcoming paint job.

It’s especially important if you’re changing from a dark to a light color to ensure that the previous shade doesn’t bleed into the new.

Rollers Save Time

If you have a big space to paint, it’s better to use rollers than brushes and you've already chosen a good roller cover (right?), so there's no need to use much pressure and it'll save you so much time.

When Painting, Make Sure you Ventilate the Room

Before you begin painting inside, make sure you open up any windows in the area as wide as you can. Without proper ventilation, the toxic fumes from the paint can affect your health making it difficult to breathe. As long as plenty of air is flowing, the paint job can be completed without any problems. Another way to avoid toxic fumes from painting is to use low-VOC or no-VOC paint.

So there you go and the best way to learn how to do something is by doing it. Don’t be afraid to tackle that big paint project.

Amazing as it seems the next day, it'll be an ordinary day but you will feel so pleasant and peaceful.

Posted in Homeowners on Mar 24, 2022